The Board-to-Build disconnect: how product & tech leaders can translate innovation into board-level impact

Session type:

Keynote

Presented by:

Kirsten Mann

Vizory, CEO & Founder (but still CPO at heart)

Session time:

13 May 09:45 — 10:45

Session duration:

60 minutes

Board to Build powerpoint ~ 2.38MB

About the session

Themes: Dealing with change | Making impact

Many product and tech teams do incredible discovery work, build customer-centric solutions, and deliver efficiently—yet their initiatives get blocked, deprioritised, or misunderstood at the board level. The disconnect isn't about poor work; it's about translation.

Boards care deeply about risk, value creation, competitive positioning, and strategic alignment—but product and tech leaders often present in terms of features, velocity, and technical excellence.

Participant Takeaways:

What boards actually want to hear
Real examples of presentations that landed brilliantly and ones that missed the mark—and why
How to translate product strategy into board language without losing authenticity
Practical frameworks for becoming a strategic storyteller who unlocks resources and support

About the speaker(s)

Kirsten Mann

Kirsten Mann is the founder and CEO of Vizory, an AI company helping board directors read less and think more. Vizory delivers director-ready intelligence with products that enhance judgment, surface context, and support sharper strategic oversight.

A GAICD-qualified board director and experienced product executive, Kirsten has spent more than 30 years scaling SaaS and AI platforms at companies including Prospection, Aconex, Oracle, and MYOB. She’s led global product expansions, doubled recurring revenue in international markets, and built teams that connect technology with business impact.

Drawing on experience from both sides of the board table, Kirsten focuses on bridging the communication gap between product leaders and board directors — ensuring governance keeps pace with innovation. Her work through Vizory and her ongoing writing series explores how better product-board dialogue can drive accountability, innovation, and long-term value creation.